[Lowell Goudge]

After Several false starts and errors, (by me) I think this is now the definitive poll for designing a lens kit.

The idea is to have a good view of what forum members think is
-a recommended range of focal lengths a kit should cover,
- whether this range is zooms only, primes only or both
-whether, if it is zooms, should it be predominantly F2.8 or not.
-whether zooms should include a macro feature or should macro be a stand alone prime/bellows
-what the limit for extreme telephoto is viewed as
- whether fisheye should be a zoom or prime.

Check as many boxes as you like for all but the focal length range for a standard kit, there please try to check only 1 minimum and 1 maximum

Thanks to all who participate

Edit note: I have put the basics behind my kit in as the first vote.

Zooms 10mm through 200mm
Primes 24 through 400mm (500 if a TC is considered) , and a 1000mm telescope with K mount adaptor
Fisheye as a prime
Believe macro shouldbe dedicated but at least 1 zoom should also have the function as a back up macro
Believe much of the range should be F2.8

The real idea behind this is because there are so many posts always asking what lens to get next, or how to build a lens kit.

I think I have all the points covered now, and the poll works


Edit note

Obviously this covers the kit design requirements for DSLRs and not Film or Medium format cameras

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Last edited by Lowell Goudge; 10-29-2010 at 11:48 AM.

[gnaztee]

I put up my votes, though I didn't mark too many of the boxes. When I started putting my kit together, I stressed about having every mm covered from 12-300. Then I realized how subjective lens kits are. I think some want a kit that can cover every conceivable situation; I want one that covers what I shoot. Without going into specific lenses, my desired kit(s) are something like this:

Travel: Compact and High Quality (I have 4 DA Ltds.), and the 18-55 WR "Just in case"
Portrait: I basically want a wide fast (like Sigma 24) and a longer reasonably fast (like DA 70 or DA*55, or even a 50-135mm for versatility)
Landscape: Wide to medium tele (DA 12-24, and I'm hoping the DA 18-135 will be a winner when stopped down)

As far as long telephotos, I just don't use them that much (I have a DA 55-300). I don't shoot wildlife on purpose (meaning, I don't plan to shoot wildlife, but I do if I see it on a hike), and I don't shoot sports. Anything above 200mm (really, 135mm) is beyond what I would normally photograph.

Oh, and no desire at all for a fisheye.

[Lowell Goudge]

In looking at the poll again, but I wouldn't change it now, the second ranve should be really 11-15 not 11-16 because then it would force the 16-50 and other like lenses to fall out of that category.

Oh well, Let's see what we get any way

[Lowell Goudge]

interesting results after 10 posts.

90% of people think the bas range should be zooms, 50% primes, which implies 40% think the range shouldbe covered by both. only 10% think there should be primes only

Also 50% think F2.8 or better is important over most of the standard range.

Wide end as expected is in the 10-16 mm range, long end seems to be far more spread out with no clear winner but largely in what would work out to 135-200mm range.

It will be interesting to see where the poll goes from here

[Lowell Goudge]

occasionally when voting can someone give this a friendly little bump by adding a comment or two, otherwise it will fall off the page.

Thanks

[robbiec]

Well I put that it should cover from 11-16 through to 400, zooms and primes, macro as prime. I would like equal to or faster than f2.8 between 24 through 200.
At the moment I am too heavy between 28 through 85, no less than 8 primes between those fls, so I have to expand either end. My travel kit, the da16-45, fa50 f1.4 & da55-300 is the easiest and probably cheapest way of getting that range with a bit of speed when necessary. For portrait work anything from 43 to 85 works for me

[Lowell Goudge]

Well I put that it should cover from 11-16 through to 400, zooms and primes, macro as prime. I would like equal to or faster than f2.8 between 24 through 200.
At the moment I am too heavy between 28 through 85, no less than 8 primes between those fls, so I have to expand either end. My travel kit, the da16-45, fa50 f1.4 & da55-300 is the easiest and probably cheapest way of getting that range with a bit of speed when necessary. For portrait work anything from 43 to 85 works for me

Not too bad, but what is your problem between 28-85. I have 4 28mm, 1 35mm 4 50mm a 58 and 2 85's myself. (actually I have a complete M42 kit from 24 through 200mm, and complete K mount plus a few KA's from 24 through 135, plus 300&400) In total 22 primes at last count. you need to play catch-up

Travel kit is not too bad, but yoou could be exposed below 16mm. I go with a Sigma 10-20 and tamron 28-75F2.8 normally, throw in the sigma 70-200 f2.8 if doing wild life, but I have to plan that in advance.

[Ira]

The poll says you have a maximum of 23 choices, so I clicked them all.

Actually, that doesn't screw the results at all, but there's something wrong here.

And I guess this means that at this time, I'm the only "other."

GO OTHER!!!

[Lowell Goudge]

The poll says you have a maximum of 23 choices, so I clicked them all.

Actually, that doesn't screw the results at all, but there's something wrong here.

unfortunately, if you read the instructions, it asked for one only, for minimum Focal Length and Maximum focal length.

Aside from that it does not impact anything but it is the same as not voting at all.

Unfortunately you cant have a multi part poll, selecting 1 out of 5 for part 1, 1 out of 5 for part 2 and as many as you want for part 3, which is what I woulf have really liked., or multiple options on a line.

Yoou are the only other because I forgot to put teleconverter and tilt / shift on the poll

[Ira]

unfortunately, if you read the instructions, it asked for one only, for minimum Focal Length and Maximum focal length.

Aside from that it does not impact anything but it is the same as not voting at all.

Unfortunately you cant have a multi part poll, selecting 1 out of 5 for part 1, 1 out of 5 for part 2 and as many as you want for part 3, which is what I woulf have really liked., or multiple options on a line.

Yoou are the only other because I forgot to put teleconverter and tilt / shift on the poll

I'm confused.

Delete my votes and I'll try to do it correctly.

You are way overestimating my intelligence and reading comprehension.

[Lowell Goudge]

I'm confused.

Delete my votes and I'll try to do it correctly.

You are way overestimating my intelligence and reading comprehension.

I'll pass on comment here as you seem to be the only one sonfsr to get it wrong

[robbiec]

Not too bad, but what is your problem between 28-85. I have 4 28mm, 1 35mm 4 50mm a 58 and 2 85's myself. (actually I have a complete M42 kit from 24 through 200mm, and complete K mount plus a few KA's from 24 through 135, plus 300&400) In total 22 primes at last count. you need to play catch-up

Travel kit is not too bad, but yoou could be exposed below 16mm. I go with a Sigma 10-20 and tamron 28-75F2.8 normally, throw in the sigma 70-200 f2.8 if doing wild life, but I have to plan that in advance.

You Sir are a healthy LBA motivator! Salut!

[Lowell Goudge]

Bump to the top

Results are interesting and may make me rethink what I recommend in the future

More posts would be more than welcome

[erkie]

Well my vote is in But The question about f2.8 really didn't work out for me. I don't think it's important to most of the range at all. But it's VITAL to me between 50 and 105mm Heck f1.8 and below is impotant in that range for me But I've never claimed to be normal


Eric

[Lowell Goudge]

The F2.8 question is really for zooms only and I have to admit the results here surprise me a little. If you think it does not apply over a big range then you don't check it. I assume you want really fast primes. I have to admit although I have F2.8 from 28 mm to 200 mm I also have primes that are much faster